06/21/2024
If Jay and I had listened to doctors in 1993, Sierra Starr would not be here today. Abortion is never a solution to suffering—and often, the "experts" are wrong.
It was 1993.
We were expecting our second baby. Our first daughter had mastered toddling and was rapidly moving into terrorizing. Ahh, the “terrible twos” were upon us.
But she was beautiful, this tottering two-year old. I could get lost in her big brown eyes. Just watching her playing in that small, sunlit corner of our living room made me smile. I had never known a love like the love that I felt for this little girl.
As my second pregnancy progressed, I wondered how it could ever be possible to love another baby as much as I loved Savannah. I could not fathom there could be room in my heart for more love.
But I was wrong. Turns out, the human heart is capable of so.much.love.
Sierra was born in December. Her eyes danced, too. Her smile was perfect. I’ll never forget the relief that washed over me when I held her in my arms for the first time. I wept like a baby. You see, I had been carrying her for the past five months under a cloud of worry. Jay and I had been told that it was more than 60% likely that she had Down Syndrome. It looked as if she had a small hole in her heart. Her measurements were “off.” We were sent to a genetic counselor.
Our options were laid out clearly: Abortion or “Take a Chance.” Amniocentesis was not something we were interested in. Abortion was absolutely out of the question. The thought of taking her life horrified and hurt us. We had seen her! Seen her heart beating. Seen her beautiful silhouette via ultrasound. Seen her little feet and seen her fully formed body.
Surely, the “experts” saw it too, this beautiful, tiny human being.
It was 1993. We were expecting our second baby. Our first daughter had mastered toddling and was rapidly moving into terrorizing. Ahh, the "terrible twos" were upon us. But she was beautiful, this tottering two-year old. I could get...
